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No. 607,220. Patented July |2,'|898.

A. J. CURTIS.

FASTENING .FOR BLINDS'. (Applicatioh fil ed May 15, 1897.)

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UNTTEED STATES PATENT @EETQE.

ANDREW J. CURTIS, or MONROE, MAINE, AssIeNoR oE ONE-HALE TO FREDERICK L. PALMER, OF SAME PLACE.

FASTENING FOR BLINDS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 607,220, dated July 12, 1898.

Application tiled May 15, 1897. Serial No. 636,785. (No modelJ To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ANDREW J. CURTIS, of Monroe,in the county of Waldo and State of Maine, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fastenings for Blinds; and

I do hereby declare the following to be a full,

clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to those fasteners for laterally-swinging window shutters or blinds in which the blind is fastened backand secured in its closed position by one and the same device, which is adapted to be secured against manipulation from outside when the blind is closed.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of such fasteners with reference to simplicity and strength and to adapt the latch to be securely locked when the blind is closed by means of a simple dropbolt, the whole being adapted to be attached to an ordinary blind without necessarily cutting the latter and without skilled labor. It will be understood from the following description, with reference to the drawings, in which Figure 1 is an outside view of the lower portion of a blind or shutter and a portion of the window-frame, &c., to which it is hinged,

- showing the blind closed in full lines and open in dotted lines. Fig. Z'is an inside view of the fastening device applied; Fig. 3, a top plan view of the fastening device detached; Fig. 4, a bottom view of the fixed jaw, with the pivoted jaw removed to show its actuating-spring; and Fig. 5, a bottom View of the fixed jaw with pivoted jaw attached.

1 indicates a portion of awindow-frame,and 2 a blind or shutter hinged to said frame in any usual or suitable manner.

3 and et indicate the two parts of a double latch, the arms of which cross each other, in form resembling the letter X, the part 3 having laterally-extending lugs 5, through which it is rigidly secured to the bottom of the shutter. The portion l of the double latch is connected with the part 3 by a central pivot, preferably in the form of a screw, engaging the fixed part 3 and adapted to be readily removed for giving access to a coilspring 6, located in a recess or socket in the face 'of the part 2, the inner end of which is rigidly connected with the part 3 of the latch and the outer end of said spring with the part 4: through an eye or perforation in the latter.

The double latch is shown applied to the lower face or edge of the shutter and crosses the same, adapting the ends thereof to engage, when the shutter is closed, with a staple or other suitable retaining device 7, and the outer end of said latch when the shutter is thrown open engages a retaining device 8 on the house, just below the shutter when open, near its free edge. The outer ends of the double latch are made flaring to engage the retaining devices referred to, and at the inner end of said flaring portions the pivoted portion of the latch is notched to engage the retaining device and is held firmly engaged therewith by means of the spring 6,referred to.

9 indicates a rod moving in suitable staples or ways on the lower edge of the shutter, the outer end of said rod engaging the pivoted latch and the inner end thereof adjacent to the hinge being provided with a loop or handle, through which the pivoted latch may be operated from the hinged edge or side of the shutter by a longitudinal movement of the rod 9 in its guides or ways.

Upon the inner face of the shutter and a short distance above the latch is secured a plate 10, provided with an inclined camway or slot, (indicated at 12,) in which works the arm of a lever 13, fastened on the upper end of a sliding pin 14-, having a bearing in the lower wall of the slotted plate 12 and at its lower end in a hole a, Figs. 3 and 4:, in one of the ends of the fixed part 5 of the latch, the arrangement being such that when the lever has traversed the inclined slot toward the lower end thereof the pin 14 drops by gravity into an eye or perforation b, Fig. 5, in the movable latch and serves to lock the latter in engagement with its retaining device when the shutter is closed, as indicated in Fig. 2, the said pin serving to lock the latch and effectually prevent its being opened from the outside. By swingingthe lever around to the highest part of the cam-groove the pin is withdrawn from the latch, and the shutter can be readily released by means of a thumbpiece 15, formed on the inner end of the pivoted portion of the double latch. The outer end of the spring (3 interlocks with a hole a in the movable part of the latch, as shown in Fig. 5.

By the construction described a simple, effective, and durable latch is secured, one adapted to be operated at all times from the inner side of a window without necessitating the reaching around the shutter to release it from the outside latch and one which serves in connection with the locking-pin to effectually look the shutter or blind in its closed position. The construction of the latch also in connection with the spring 6 referred to serves in either position of the shutter to effectually engage it with its retaining device and to prevent rattling of the shutter from the effects of high wind or other causes.

The latch has been described as connected with the lower edge of the shutter; but it Will be apparent that it may be applied to a slot or perforation near said edge, and the operating devices connected therewith may be applied on the inner face of said shutter instead of to such lower edge.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is-

The combination of a cam device fixedly attached to the inner side of the blind, a vertically-sliding pin having a lever-arm at its upper end, coacting with said cam device, and a two-part double-ended latch having holes in its respective parts to coact with the lower end of said pin, substantially as hereinbefore specified.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ANDREXV J. CURTIS. lVitnesses:

T. DURHAM, 1- F. Cousnns. 

